Ceremony Honors Resilience and Perseverance During Pandemic

Virginia Beach, VA – Each year, many ECPI University online graduates travel to Virginia to participate in commencement, along with students from the Virginia Beach campus. This year, the COVID-19 pandemic prevented this from taking place. So, why not put on a virtual ceremony? That’s exactly what the online team did, complete with music, speakers, and presentation of degrees. 

“We felt it was important that we not only honor our students’ accomplishment, but also provide an opportunity for their family, friends, associates, neighbors and co-workers, who have supported them, to join in on the celebration,” says ECPI University Vice President of eLearning and Online Education Aaron Wettstein. “This has certainly been no ordinary school year. By nature, online students are great multitaskers and highly adaptable, but the pressures of the pandemic have affected them just like everyone else. So, this is also a celebration of their perseverance.” 

Top 5 Rankings for Ethnic and Economic Diversity

The 2021 edition provides data on more than 1,800 colleges and universities, with rankings for more than 1,400 institutions. ECPI University, with campuses in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas, is ranked among the best Regional Universities in the South. Moreover, ECPI University stands at #3 for Economic Diversity and #5 for Ethnic Diversity.

Top 5 Rankings for Ethnic and Economic Diversity

The 2021 edition provides data on more than 1,800 colleges and universities, with rankings for more than 1,400 institutions. ECPI University, with campuses in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, and Texas, is ranked among the best Regional Universities in the South. Moreover, ECPI University stands at #3 for Economic Diversity and #5 for Ethnic Diversity.

Virginia Beach, VA – In keeping with its pledged support for the Governor of Virginia’s initiative to produce more cybersecurity professionals, ECPI University has developed a new Accelerated Cyber and Information Security Technology degree program. 

Virginia Beach, VA – In light of recent events that have forced this nation to more closely examine its record of racial injustice, ECPI University is issuing the following statement to support its African-American students: 

ECPI University Establishes Extensive Protocols to Help Protect Against Coronavirus, Helping Students Stay on Course for Graduation

Virginia Beach, VA – While the nation continues its efforts to contain the Coronavirus, many states are slowly reopening. ECPI University is reopening as well, but taking great care to welcome students back in the safest possible manner. “Rigorously following CDC guidelines, we believe we have established a reopening plan that will help ensure the safety of our students, faculty, and staff,” says ECPI University Chief Operating Officer Barbara Larar. 

Cleaning protocols have been enhanced to include cleaning and disinfecting common areas, restrooms, and high touch surfaces each day. Faculty, staff, and students will be required to maintain this cleaning standard by cleaning and disinfecting their personal workstations, classrooms, and labs before starting and ending work/class each day. Moreover, they have been instructed not to use one another's phones, desks, workstations or other work tools and equipment. Other protocols include: 

• Faculty and staff will enter the building through designated entrances. All other entrances and exits will be locked.
• Faculty, staff, and students will have their temperature taken when they enter the building – if their temperature is above 100.4, they will be asked to go home and follow the self-quarantine protocol provided by Human Resources.
• Face Coverings/Masks should be worn in all common areas – if someone does not have a face covering/mask, one will be provided for them.
• Sanitizing stations have been set up near all entry/exit points, elevators, stairwells, and other high-touch surface areas. Students, faculty, and staff have been asked to wash their hands and use hand sanitizer frequently throughout the day, and refrain from hand shaking or other physical contact.
• Elevators will be limited to 2 passengers at a time.
• Signage and floor markings will be visible throughout the campus to remind everyone of proper preventative measures and social distancing protocols.
• Faculty, staff, and students will complete a confidential health assessment prior to returning to work/school.
• Classrooms and labs have been reconfigured to allow for distancing between workstations    

Virginia Beach, VA – Virginia Governor Ralph Northam announced a plan to create 31,000 new computer science graduates over 20 years. As Virginia’s largest private producer of computer science degree graduates, ECPI University is augmenting this effort with its Accelerate Tech Talent Virginia. 

“The Accelerate Tech Talent Virginia initiative will produce 3,000 more computer science graduates over the next 20 years, as its contribution to the Governor’s goal. This means ECPI University will produce more than 18,000 graduates over the next 20 years”, says ECPI University President Mark Dreyfus. 

One reason why colleges and universities have difficulty attracting students to computer science is because many lack confidence. “When we talk to both career switchers and high school students, we find that many see computer science as a very attractive career path, but they doubt their own abilities,” says ECPI University Dean of Computer and Information Science Dr. Keith Morneau. “They worry about doing the math, not realizing that much of the curriculum revolves around critical thinking and problem solving.  We’ve had countless graduates who first came to us with these same doubts and have gone on to thrive in their careers. 

Honor Marks 8 Continuous Years on Military Times Best for Vets List

Here’s what Military Times survey editors had to say about ECPI University: 

“Nearly one out of every seven staff members at ECPI is a veteran, giving the school one of the highest proportions of vet employees of any school considered for this year’s rankings. That can go a long way toward helping a school understand the needs of its student veteran population. And on top of that, the school conducts surveys of its student vets at least twice per year to gauge their satisfaction with the school and its services. ECPI also has special degree programs for troops and vets, in cybersecurity and electronics engineering that allow them to leverage their military training and experience to earn degrees quickly.” 

Interdisciplinary Drill Designed to Simulate Campus Active Shooter Drill

Based on course of study, students will be assigned to teams in order to establish a perimeter, command and control operations center, negotiate with hostage takers, triage victims, and provide emergency care. 

Both to Help Shape Future of Intercollegiate Competition

Virginia Beach, VA – ECPI University is proud to announce that two people from its eSports team, the Rams, have been named to leadership positions within the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE). 

At the organization’s recent national convention, ECPI University Athletic Director and Director of Web Services Mike Glover was named to NACE’s board of directors and Rams Head Coach JJ Meyers was selected to join the competition committee. Each will play a pivotal role shaping policy as NACE and intercollegiate eSports quickly evolves. 

“We are in the infancy stages of collegiate esports, every decision made by NACE will a have long lasting and profound impact on esports,” says Glover. “I see being a part of the Board of Directors for NACE as not only a duty, but an obligation.  My goals for the elected term are simple…make sure the private institutions that participate in NACE are fairly represented and have equal say in the direction of collegiate esports. And I am going to do my best to make sure collegiate esports are something generations to come will enjoy, and not have it being something that is just a passing fad. “